Third Day in October
by Lady Charity
Summary: It was the twentieth anniversary of German Reunification. The day celebrating when East and West finally came together after decades of separation. And Ludwig hated it.


Earsplitting explosions rattled the ground under Ludwig's feet as he fought his way through. The night sky lit up with white, red, blue, every single color there was in the spectrum until it was brighter than daylight. Ludwig's mind immediately wandered to bombs and air raids and he winced before quickening his pace. The streets were crowded with people, their voices fighting with the bangs of the firecrackers and the loud music blaring from somewhere on Ludwig's left. Everything around him reminded Ludwig so much of war, yet it was the complete opposite. How can two events of absolute difference be so similar?

He pulled his cell phone out of his pocket to check if he had any missed calls. There was no voice message waiting for him. He gritted his teeth before shoving it back into his pocket. He wandered a little longer in the crowd before checking again. Still nothing. He fiercely dialed the numbers on his phone and pressed it against his ear, waiting impatiently. He heard the dull tone signifying the ringing phone five times before it directed him to leave a voice message. He slammed the phone shut before it even had a chance to finish.

"Gilbert, where are you?" he muttered to himself. He tried to look over everyone's head in the crowd in search for a shock of white hair, but his attempt was futile. He crossed his arms, his throat tightening uncomfortably with annoyance. He had _ordered_ Gilbert not to wander too far from him or get in trouble, yet as of this moment Gilbert was completely out of sight and very possibly stirring up trouble, especially since today was the last day of Oktoberfest and no doubt Gilbert would take advantage of that, even though the festival did not even take places in Bremen.

All the joyous celebrations surrounded Ludwig: the fireworks, the music, the cheering, the food, the people and their bright smiles, yet none of them touched Ludwig. Yes, he was happy for his people, but there was still the underlying worry about where his older brother ran off to in the midst of all the festivities. Bremen was no small city; anything could happen in the corners and shadows. The small thought drove Ludwig to a bigger fit of apprehension.

"Gilbert?" he yelled. He cupped his mouth and shouted again. "Gilbert!"

He could barely hear his own voice over the crowd. He groaned and delved deeper into the throng. He had hoped in vain that they would not attend this year's celebration. In fact, he hoped that every single year. He hoped that everyone would forget about such a holiday. He had hoped that it there was no need for it to exist.

He didn't want the country of Germany to be reunified at all.

But since when did he ever get what he wanted?

Ludwig suddenly felt something wet and cold splash onto his sleeve. He jerked back and saw a young man hastily dabbing a napkin on Ludwig's uniform.

"Es tut mir Leid!" the man said loudly, gesturing guiltily to his bottle of beer. "Ich war zu aufgeregt."

Ludwig shook his head. "Es ist okay," he assured him before fleeing. He was ashamed of himself. His people were happy and celebrating, and their own country was brooding and drowning in worry and…

Guilt.

He slowed his pace until he was ambling through the thinner section of the crowd. The colors from all the spectacular lights were vividly blinding him. All for his country. For Germany. For him.

_Only him._

He winced.

Where was Gilbert?

Ludwig scanned the streets for his brother. He was never sure what Gilbert's thoughts of the Day of Unity were, but he could only imagine resentment and indignation. Ludwig wouldn't blame Gilbert if that truly was the case. How many times did Ludwig, Gilbert's own little brother whom he raised and protected, force Prussia to be degraded and beaten down until he was nothing? And to think that the last strike was to abolish the last remnant of Prussia that Gilbert still had: East Germany. There was no need for an East Germany anymore. Did that mean Gilbert no longer had a purpose?

Ludwig's thoughts were interrupted by the loud moan of a trombone. He flinched and bowed his head, walking quickly again. The warm and mouthwatering aroma of roasted chicken, potato pancakes, and dumplings from street vendors did not affect him even though they wafted under his nose. The celebration was completely wasted on him, not that he had wanted it anyway.

"Excuse me, have you seen my brother?" Ludwig finally asked a stranger. She turned to him, waving a miniature German flag in his face. "He's tall and has white hair. About this tall." He put his hand to his temple.

"Sorry, I haven't," she yelled before turning back to her group of friends. Ludwig sighed before targeting another. And another. And another. Still no one had seen Gilbert.

Ludwig was seized with fear.

What if Gilbert had finally _disappeared_?

Ever since Germany was reunified, Ludwig was always afraid of letting Gilbert leave his sight. He was afraid that he might never see Gilbert again; or perhaps if he did Gilbert would be dead. Gilbert was no longer East Germany. Gilbert was not Prussia anymore. He was borrowing time, and who knew how much he had left?Every Day of Unity Ludwig was washed over with fear, thinking that perhaps Fate would find it fitting to finally take his brother away on the anniversary of his end. Though Gilbert still worked for the boss as East Germany and everyone was convinced he was, there was always the possibility that he wasn't needed. How much longer could they fool Fate?

"GILBERT!" he suddenly screamed. His heart was pounding painfully in his chest with anxiety. "GILBERT!"

"West!"

Ludwig's eyes widened. He thought he had imagined it. He spun around and saw a familiar face fighting through the crowd toward him. He finally breathed freely as he hurried toward Gilbert.

"Where were you?" Ludwig demanded when Gilbert finally stumbled to Ludwig. "I told you not to wander far away from me! I thought I lost you!"

"What, were you thinking that I ran away or something?" Gilbert laughed. "You know I wouldn't just leave you like that!"

"That's not what I meant," Ludwig said through gritted teeth.

_I thought you were taken away from me._

"What's on your face?" Ludwig asked, pointing to Gilbert's cheek.

"You can't tell? It's the German flag!" Gilbert turned his left cheek to Ludwig. Indeed, there was a small German flag painted on Gilbert's face. Ludwig felt a pang of discomfort and guilt at the sight of it. The thought of the country of Prussia being branded with a foreign flag, albeit a brother nation's flag, didn't seem right to Ludwig. "You want one? They're face painting down on Schwachhausen."

"Why did you choose the German flag?" Ludwig asked.

"What else?" laughed Gilbert. "It isn't like they offered anything else, really?"

Ludwig ran his thumb across the dried paint on Gilbert's face. It seemed too plain for Gilbert; a black eagle would have suited him better. But that no longer existed, did it? The guilt was coarse against his skin.

"Take it off," Ludwig said harshly. "It's childish."

"Loosen up!" Gilbert protested, batting Ludwig's hand away. "Everyone has them! I've seen a grandfather wear one on his forehead!"

"You're a _nation_," Ludwig said sternly, even though he wasn't completely sure if Gilbert really was one. "You should be a little more mature!"

"And _you_ are Germany!" Gilbert retorted. "Shouldn't you lighten up during your own holiday?"

"Then why are you 'lightening up' when it isn't _your_ holiday?" Ludwig argued.

"Is it a crime for me to celebrate it?" Gilbert protested.

"I don't know why you would even want to," said Ludwig. "_I _don't even want to!"

Gilbert furrowed his eyebrows confusedly. "What? Why?"

"Nothing," Ludwig said quickly. He wished he never spoke up about the flag.

"Don't give me that," Gilbert complained. "Come on. What's the matter?"

"I said nothing," Ludwig said stubbornly. Gilbert sighed exasperatedly before tugging at Ludwig's sleeve.

"Walk with me, at least, won't you?" he requested before walking away from the crowded street where the festivities were concentrated in. Ludwig followed wordlessly until they were in the quieter sides of town. The only lights that interrupted the evening were the dim streetlights. They could still hear the echoes of the merriment from far away.

"So…" Gilbert finally broke the silence. "Twenty years, huh?"

"Yes," Ludwig said monotonously.

"Two whole decades, exactly."

"Mmhmm."

Gilbert cast a puzzled glance at Ludwig. "Why don't you like that?"

"I never said I didn't," Ludwig protested.

"Don't take me as an idiot, West," Gilbert said firmly.

Ludwig didn't reply. He felt a growing discomfort as he walked in silence alongside Gilbert. He didn't know how to explain it to Gilbert, or if he even wanted to.

"Are you happy, Gilbert?" he finally said.

Gilbert raised his eyebrows. "Yeah. Of course I am."

"I don't just mean because of the celebration," Ludwig said. "I mean about anything. Everything. Life. I don't know."

"Why are you asking?" Gilbert questioned. "Yes, I am. Come on, West, what else would I be?"

"About everything?" Ludwig repeated. "Even…even the reunification?"

Gilbert gave a sidelong glance at Ludwig. "Yes."

"Why?" Ludwig demanded.

"Why are you asking?" Gilbert said again.

"I just want to know," Ludwig said quietly.

Gilbert gave a small shrug. "Because…because that meant you'll be stronger. You'd be whole again. That's what I wanted."

Ludwig felt a mixture of surprise and guilt in him. Before he could say anything else, Gilbert already beat him to it.

"You didn't want to be reunified though, did you?" he said flatly.

Ludwig bit his lip. Answering truthfully would sound downright heartless, but how was he supposed to tell Gilbert his fear?

"No," he finally admitted. Gilbert winced slightly at the answer, but quickly regained his composure.

"Why?" Gilbert inquired. "Was it because…was it because you didn't want to be with me anymore?"

"No!" Ludwig said quickly. He grabbed Gilbert's arm to keep him from walking any further. They stood under the warm orange glow of a lamppost. "It wasn't like that at all!"

"Then why?" Gilbert asked. "Why do you hate the reunification so much?"

"Because—" he stammered, his tongue suddenly feeling too heavy. "Because—I was afraid for you."

"For me?" Gilbert said incredulously. "Why me?"

"I was afraid I would lose you," Ludwig whispered. He averted his gaze shamefacedly. He was Germany. He wasn't supposed to fear anything . He was supposed to be strong. Fearless. Unemotional. And here he was, admitting the one thing he feared the most. "I didn't know if…if you would die or not. I mean, when Prussia was—abolished—" The word was bitter and heavy on his tongue. "I was so—_so_ afraid, and then you became East Germany and I had hope that you wouldn't leave." He glanced up at the nighttime sky. "Even though I couldn't see you and you were under Russia's influence a lot, you were still alive. But then when even East Germany stopped existing…" He swallowed and shook his head. "Every day I'm just so _scared_ that it would be your last day. That we can't pretend anymore that you're your own nation. And that it would be my fault."

Gilbert was silent when Ludwig spoke. When Ludwig muttered the last word, Gilbert tentatively reached out and took Ludwig's wrist. Ludwig nearly jerked his hand away in surprise.

"Why is it," Gilbert said, light humor touching his words, "that you are feeling what _I _am expected to feel about that day?" He offered a smile to Ludwig. "You're too good to me, West."

"I should be saying that to you," Ludwig said, his voice strained. "I don't understand—why aren't you angry? I thought you would _resent_ me for taking your country again. Aren't you afraid?"

"I've thought about it before," admitted Gilbert lightly. "Yeah, I guess that wouldn't be pretty. But it's not happening right?" He spread out his arms. "Look at me. I'm still here. I'm still living and breathing and being awesome, right?" He gave out a light laugh. "You don't have to be afraid about my last day or whatever it was. Do you really think I'm going to be going anywhere else anytime soon?"

Ludwig gripped tightly on Gilbert's wrist. It was thin in his grasp and Ludwig wondered if he could easily snap it just by squeezing it. He didn't want to let go.

"And even if that day does ever come for some odd reason," Gilbert continued. "I don't really want you to mope about it, okay? Celebrate it with me, won't you? It would be pretty pathetic if my last day was spent in depression, you know."

"Of course," Ludwig said in a strangled voice. Gilbert gave a carefree grin and ruffled Ludwig's hair, mussing it completely.

"I don't regret East and West coming together," Gilbert said. "Now you're the strong and great country I raised you to be. That's all I want now."

Ludwig pulled Gilbert closer to him and enveloped him in a warm hug. Gilbert laughed into Ludwig's shoulder and hugged him tight.

"Now get your party hat on, won't you?" Gilbert said. "We've got a special day to celebrate."

"Of course, of course," Ludwig said hastily. Gilbert laughed and wriggled out of Ludwig's embrace, stepping back.

"I'll race you!" Gilbert declared before turning on his heel and darting away. Ludwig sprinted toward Gilbert through the dimly lit streets that slowly grew brighter as they neared the festivities. The music sang over their heads and people's laughter and voices filled the air again. Before Gilbert could disappear into the crowd, Ludwig quickly caught him in his arms and held him close again.

"C'mon, West!" Gilbert exclaimed. "You've got to let me go sooner or later!"

Ludwig held Gilbert one second longer before finally letting him go. They all had to let go sometime. He kissed the black, red, and gold on Gilbert's cheek.

"Happy Unity Day, Gilbert," he said without regret.

Gilbert grinned up at Ludwig before taking Ludwig's hand and pulling him into the celebration. As the night stretched long with the joyous holiday, both of the brothers knew that if Gilbert had to leave one day or another, they would choose tomorrow, so that Ludwig could treasure one last golden day.

* * *

**October 3****rd**** (aka today) is German Unity Day, which celebrates the German reunification of 1990. Today is the twentieth anniversary of German reunification as well, so it's a special day for the Germans~ This year's celebration takes place in Brenen. I couldn't resist writing something for them even though I **_**just**_** found out about the occasion today. ** **I think this story may easily be the sappiest thing I've ever written for Hetalia...Happy German Brothers Day to you all!**


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